Somber funeral.
Oh man, what a great gathering point style quest marker. I got stuck with a shipwreck, but I like this way more!
I am writing a Level 0 campaign. So all the characters start out with 0 skills and 10 and get to build their stats through a bunch of activities. I didn't really have a reason for them to get together. But a funeral for a mutual friend....someone that was a hero, but not well known. My players all show up frail and unsure of the company. They find out instead that their friend was something more than they thought. The other heroes all take interest because the dead guy was interested. They get to spend some time training their way up to level 1. No skills until they decide to learn them. Then suddenly they get taken along on first quest....and something goes wrong. LOVE IT!